The Green Bay Packers are reportedly set to hire Mike Pettine as their new defensive coordinator.

The 51-year old Pettine was a defensive coordinator with the New York Jets (2009-12) and Buffalo Bills (2013) before taking over as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns prior to the 2014 season. Pettine went 7-9 in his first season with the Browns but was fired after going 3-13 in 2015. He spent last season as a defensive consultant with the Seattle Seahawks.

Pettine’s New York Jets defenses ranked first, third, fifth and eighth. His defense in Buffalo in 2013 ranked 10th.

Pettine runs a 3-4 scheme that involves press man coverage with a series of blitzes.

Mike McCarthy fired Dom Capers after the Packers finished 7-9 and ranked 22nd in total defense. Capers didn’t have a top ten defense in Green Bay since the Packers’ Super Bowl season in 2010, when it ranked fifth.

Offensive Coordinator Edgar Bennett will not return to the team. Joe Philbin, who previously spent nine years with the Packers, including five as offensive coordinator, returns. Philbin left in 2012 for the head coaching job in Miami.

The Green Bay Packers opened OTA workouts on Wednesday and hold their first open to the public and media workout today at 11:30.

While the Packers have their entire starting offense back, they will have some new looks on defense and special teams.

The Packers will have at least one new starter at defensive back this season, replacing last years starter Tramon Williams.

We’ll also see just how much change we can expected to see at Inside Linebacker. Based on the way Mike McCarthy talked during the draft, it appears the Packers may look to keep Clay Matthews at inside linebacker at least some of the time. If things stay that way, then the Packers won’t be as hard pressed to find middle linebackers. [Read more…]

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy told reporters on Thursday that he had thought about giving up play calling before. After the Packers coughed up the lead and fell to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game, McCarthy could no longer hide from the fact that he needed to get more involved in all aspects of his football team.

To pull that off, McCarthy needed to give up the job that he loved, the job that required so much of his time and attention.

McCarthy and the Packers announced a number of staff moves on Thursday, first and foremost, the promotion of Tom Clements to Associate Head Coach/Offense, with play calling duties. [Read more…]

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson is a fan favorite of the Packers and a favorite target of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Nelson’s outstanding season has landed him a cover story in Sports Illustrated.

Tim Layden takes a look at Nelson’s back story, analyzing his outstanding numbers and gives fair-warning to the New England Patriots. The corn-fed kid that the Packers imported from the Heartland to the Dairyland is the NFL’s most dangerous deep threat. In his eyes, this season’s biggest game is an easy, and obvious call: bet the farm on Green Bay.

“Jordy is a hardworking farm boy. His physical skill set is second to none, but he’s smart, he works at his craft, he studies the game. He’s a hardworking farm boy in his life, and he’s hardworking farm boy on the field.” (Greg Jennings, former Packers and current Vikings receiver)

“First, great strength and combative hand technique to get off the line of scrimmage. Second, he’s fast. They underestimate him…Seriously, a lot of it has to do with the fact that guys look at him and say, ‘O.K., he’s a white guy; he can’t be that good.’ Well, he is that go0d.” (Packers’ receivers coach Edgar Bennett)

The Green Bay Packers struggled again defensively last season, but through the first four picks in the 2014 NFL Draft, the

GM Ted Thompson recaps Day 2

Packers picked two offensive players and two defensive players.

After using the 1st round pick on safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix on day 1, General Manager Ted Thompson followed up by going with offense in two of the three selections on day 2.

First up, wide receiver Davante Adams with the 53rd overall selection in round 2. Adams became the ninth wide receiver selected in the 2014 draft. Adams played just two seasons at Fresno State and wound up catching 233 passes for 3,030 yards and 38 touchdowns. This past season alone, Adams caught 131 passes for 1.718 yards and 24 touchdowns in 13 games played.

At the combine, Adams ran a 4.59 40-yard dash, but both he and his position coach Edgar Bennett both said speed isn’t the only factor in determining the quality of receiver he is. [Read more…]